


Little Sparrow on a Branch Alone

by FairythePigeon (Me_aGlorifiedPigeon)



Series: Fabled Sides [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Child Death, Fable 2 AU - Freeform, Fate & Destiny, Homelessness, Implied Baby Crush Moceit, M/M, Magic, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24568747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Me_aGlorifiedPigeon/pseuds/FairythePigeon
Summary: When asked about this night later, Patton would call it all a blur up until they stepped on that platform. A blur up until Logan gasped and pulled him close as the ground lit up beneath their feet and a glowing field surrounded them. A blur up until the kindness in Lord Lucien's eyes turned to greed.If anyone asked Patton about the worst time in his life, he would say the night he lost his brother- no doubt.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Fabled Sides [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810027
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28





	Little Sparrow on a Branch Alone

"Do you really think it's magic?" Logan had asked the mysterious hooded woman. She'd stared at him, blind eyes somehow peering into both his and Patton's souls.

"For five gold, you could have your answer," the blind woman had answered.

"For five gold, we could eat for a week," Logan stated sharply.

"True," the woman had mused. "But at the end of that week, you and your little sparrow would be no closer to your dream. No closer to the inside of that castle."

Then she had walked away, leaving Logan to look down at Patton, heartbreak clear on his face. Logan had decided they could earn five gold if they tried hard enough. Logan had decided to buy the music box. Logan had wished as hard as he could only for the damned thing to disappear.

Logan never cried. Patton knew that much about his big brother. He was thirteen, and that sleazy Artur guy kept offering him a job doing something Logan never explained to him, something that had to do with his delicate face and small stature, and he was Patton's only family. Patton knew his brother tried to stay strong for him. So that night, while Dog curled up in their shaky lean-to, refusing to leave, Patton was surprised to hear Logan sniffle.

"Lolo?" Patton whispered. Logan hurried to wipe away his tears.

"It's nothing. Go to bed, little sparrow," Logan said.

"Lolo, you're crying," Patton said.

"I'm  _ not _ ! Go to bed!" Logan huffed. Patton curled up in his sack, turning his back to his brother to give him some semblance of privacy. He wished his brother didn't bottle things up so much.

It was a long while before he felt his brother lie down in the sack beside him.

"Patton," Logan said, voice flat and emotionless now. "Remember this, okay? Magic is a child's daydream, and wishes don't come true."

"Not even if you wish really, really hard?" Patton asked.

"Not even then. But- but if you work hard, Patton, good things will come. I promise you, if you keep your chin up, and we keep doing stuff like what we did today, this... helping people for a small fee thing? We'll be able to survive. This doesn't mean we won't have a real roof over our heads someday, okay?" Logan said. Patton turned and smiled at his big brother.

"I believe you. We'll have a big house!" Patton proclaimed.

Logan smiled gently. "Somewhere out in the countryside. With rolling fields."

"A beautiful dining room, where we'll fit our whole future family," Patton said. Logan nodded.

"And Dog will be there too," Logan promised.

Patton nestled his head against his brother's chest, letting his exhaustion take over. He'd been tired all day, really. He wondered what he'd eaten last.

That was his last thought before Dog woke him up barking madly.

"Whoa! Down boy!" A gruff voice shouted. Logan was up before Patton, guarding him with his body as Patton groggily and slowly woke.

"Why are you here? We haven't done anything wrong!" Logan demanded. The guard held up his hands in surrender.

"I know, I know- Lord Lucien sent for ye! Said he specifically wanted ye both!" The guard explained.

"Sent for us?" Logan asked, sounding suspicious. Patton was a little dazed- he couldn't focus all too well. But he trusted Logan to have a good reason.

"Specifically, he sent for whoever bought the music box. I know how hard ye two worked te buy it, and the old seller admitted he sold it to two scrappy orphans- figured it was ye," the guard explained.

"Alright then. Patton- little sparrow- wake up," Logan said, and he shook his baby brother. Patton blinked slowly at his older brother, but he began to get to his feet.

"Right, well- get in the carriage, best we go off now," the guard stated.

"What abou' Dog?" Patton asked.

"That  _ beast _ stays here," said a voice from inside the carriage. "Terribly uncivilised creature, good heavens."

Patton opened his mouth to complain but Logan shushed him and pulled him into the carriage. He looked out of the carriage at Dog.

"Stay," Logan ordered firmly, and Dog whined in response.

The carriage took off and the world around them bled into sound and color as Patton fought not to fall asleep against his brother's arm. He paid no mind to the fancy man and the topic he was conversing with Logan. Their words went in one ear, got mangled in the buzzing of his head, and went out the other ear. He closed his eyes. His eyelids felt a tad too heavy.

When he opened them again, Logan was shaking him awake, concern in his eyes. "Come on, Pat. Just stay awake a little longer- we'll get a warm meal after this," Logan promised. Patton's entire belly squeezed and ached at the idea.

"I'm real hungry, Lo," Patton mumbled.

"I know, I know- Ethan here has promised that we'll get a warm meal and soft bed after we talk to Lord Lucien," Logan whispered. Patton's eyes widened as he realized where they were.

"C-castle," Patton spluttered.

Logan chuckled. "Yes, yes- it's an incredible castle, very beautiful."

The fancy man -Ethan- began to explain the rules of the castle, and what would be expected of them, but Patton ignored him to stare at the fancy carpets and tapestries and vases.

Ethan left them at a door, closing it behind them and leaving them alone in a room full of books- alone except for one man.

Lord Lucien stood tall and proud. He was a handsome man, with handsome features. Patton idly wondered if he and Logan might have a hope of growing up so well. He greeted them warmly.

When asked about this night later, Patton would call it all a blur up until they stepped on that platform. A blur up until Logan gasped and pulled him close as the ground lit up beneath their feet and a glowing field surrounded them. A blur up until the kindness in Lord Lucien's eyes turned to greed.

"Fascinating," Lucien had said, his hand reaching out to touch the field of light, only for it to burn him and turn a glaring crimson. Frightened, Patton hugged his brother, feeling his heart beating quick as a rabbit.

"What is this? This is impossible," Lucien muttered, his eyes turning crazed.

"What is this!?" Logan demanded, his voice shaky. "What's happening?"

Lucien was muttering wildly to himself. Something about three heroes. Then he straightened, his hands flat on his books.

"I didn't want to have to do this," Lucien confessed, and he reached into a drawer of his desk. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. But I won't have anyone stand in my way."

"What?" Logan demanded, but just as the question left his lips Lucien pulled out a pistol. "No!"

Logan lunged in front of Patton just as the sound of a bullet rang through the study. Patton screamed as his brother hit the floor. He looked up at Lucien, seeing him level the gun at him.

"P-please-" Patton pleaded, backing away.

"I can't allow you to live either. I'm sorry," Lucien said, and his words sounded heavy with guilt. Patton might have forgiven him. But the man still pulled the trigger. Glass shattered and Patton fell backwards, out of the palace and into the night air.

He closed his eyes, and for a moment he felt nothing. Then, with a warm breath across his fingers, his entire body suddenly felt like lightning.

A familiar voice, "Death is not your destiny today, little Sparrow."

Somehow it wasn't, as the blind woman from before- as Eliza nursed him back to health. Every day was unbearable pain- in his heart and all over his body- as he tried to heal.

"I hate him," Patton cried one day, trying to stand on his feet for the first time in many weeks. "I hate Lucien so much- I wish he was dead!"

"All in due time," Eliza soothed. "For now, regain your strength. Learn to live again."

Even Dog's presence could not console Patton through the loss of his brother. Dog, who had saved him by leading Eliza to him that day. Dog, who would probably have done all he could to save Logan too. If only…

Then, one afternoon while Eliza was out, Patton heard a ruckus outside the caravan car. He propped himself up on his elbows just in time to spot a boy his age dart into the caravan, carrying a chicken in his arms.

The boy was dark skinned, like Eliza was, with big brown and blue eyes and a pale splotch across the left half of his face. The boy stared at him like he was something odd, then grinned.

"Keep me a secret, yes, pale boy?" The other boy requested. Patton nodded, and the strange boy plopped the chicken on his stomach before dropping and belly crawling under the cot, hiding behind the blankets.

Outside the caravan car, Patton heard a woman screech, "JANUS! Where is my hen!?"

The boy under his cot giggled, and Patton couldn't help but do the same.

If anyone asked Patton about the worst time in his life, he would say the night he lost his brother- no doubt. But the day he met Janus was the very first day of Patton's incredibly, drastically long journey to feeling better.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo, lemme know if y'all are interested in more, I guess!


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